


The Power Of Fiction

by JesseyJamez_ShadowHunter



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Attempt at Humor, Boss Jace Wayland, Dumb Boys Get Smart, Emotionally Repressed, Enemies to Lovers, Fed Up Simon Lewis, IT Technician Simon Lewis, Jace Finds Out, Jace Is Simon's Boss, Kinda, M/M, Misunderstandings, More Like Mutual Annoyances To Lovers, Mutual Pining, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, Persistent Jace Wayland, Questionable professionalism, Sassy Jace Wayland, Sassy Simon Lewis, Simon Writes Fanfiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25809616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JesseyJamez_ShadowHunter/pseuds/JesseyJamez_ShadowHunter
Summary: Simon is fed up! With work, with people, with coworkers that have too many dogs. Most of all, he is fed up with his boss. Simon has been rebuffing Jace's flirtations at work for a while now. The guy is his boss after all and professionalism is a thing, not that Jace would know anything about that. Plus, it doesn't help that the guy is 100% annoying, 100% of the time.Simon does have one escape: Writing Fanfiction. See, Simon is a pretty badass writer and being able to express his creativity and channel his frustrations into creating stories is what makes him happy.Until it doesn't.Until he finds that happiness elsewhere.
Relationships: Simon Lewis/Jace Wayland
Comments: 5
Kudos: 118





	The Power Of Fiction

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hayleykat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hayleykat/gifts).



> This work was written as part of the Hunters Moon Creation Exchange. (Basically Christmas in August lol)
> 
> This a gift for the delightful @Hayleykat! I really hope you enjoy it! Keep being your awesome self :P
> 
> Anyways, without further ado,  
> Enjoy!

“Hey Nerdferatu.” 

Simon closes his eyes and inhales deeply, suppressing the sigh that’s building up in his chest. “Good morning, Jace.”

“Whatcha doing?”

“Uh, Work? Ya’know, my weekly report?” Simon spins around in his chair to see Jace leaning against the doorway —  _ is it a doorway if it’s a cubicle? _ — of his cubicle. “Do you need something?”

“Nope.” Jace shoots him one of his trademark smirks and Simon’s heart skips. “I just came by to check on you because—”

“—because a good boss makes sure their employees are doing well,” Simon recites. “How come you never check in on Maia in 2C?” 

“And get trapped in an hour and a half long conversation about her six dogs?” Jace wrinkles his nose. “No thanks. Made that mistake once. Never again. Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice… well, you know the saying.”

“You know cubicles aren’t soundproof and we share a wall.”

“Yeah but a parade could march through here and Maia wouldn’t notice.”

Simon nods. “Very good supervising you’re doing. Keep up the great work.” His desk phone rings. “I have to take this. Because I’m  _ working _ .” He fixes Jace with a pointed look and mouths  _ ‘shoo’  _ before answering with, “Simon Lewis, IT. How can I help you?”

Amusement coats Jace’s features, even as he blows Simon a kiss and leaves.

Simon finishes helping someone in Data Entry connect their mouse to their computer and briefly wonders if college degrees are worth anything. Then he thinks about Jace as he absentmindedly fills out his report. 

Jace flirts with him constantly, and Simon debates whether or not he should tell HR. Not only is Jace his boss, but he flirts with him during work hours. Simon recognizes that it’s highly inappropriate behavior. He’d be a liar if he claimed he didn’t get a bit of a rush from it, though, but he’s a professional goddammit. He’s not about to engage in flirtatious behavior at work.

Even if he really  _ really  _ would like to. 

He saves his report and submits it, then pushes back from his desk. Unfortunately, he has to pass by Jace’s office on his way to the break room. He keeps his gaze locked straight ahead, resisting the urge to glance in his office, and ignores the sound of the door opening behind him. 

Simon starts the fancy coffee maker and leans against the counter, listening to the fluorescent lights buzzing and the quiet hum coming from the refrigerator while he waits. 

_ 4, 3, 2, 1- _

Sure enough, Jace sidles in not long after.

“Do you actually do work?” Simon asks with mild exasperation. “What the fuck are you even paid to do?” 

Normally he would never speak to someone like that in any kind of professional setting, but his and Jace’s work relationship is… weird, to put it mildly.

“Supervise you,” Jace replies simply. The smirk is back.

“Me specifically?”

“Uh huh.”

“Wow.” Simon stirs two creams into his coffee, watching it swirl around his mug. “Money well spent.”

“What would you rather have it spent on?”

“Oh, I don’t know, actually good coffee?” 

“Noted.”

Simon heads back to his cubicle, Jace in tow. “I’m a snob about coffee though, so it’s probably fine.” He raises his mug, blowing on it before taking a tiny sip. “Nothing will ever beat the cappuccinos from Java Jones though.” 

Surprise flickers across Jace’s face. 

“What?” Simon asks. 

“You don’t seem like a cappuccino kinda guy,” Jace answers. 

Simon takes a longer sip, pretending it doesn’t burn his throat a little. “Well,” he says, turning back to his computer, “there’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

  
  


* * *

Simon is normally a talkative person, except at work.  _ A professional, goddammit! _ This somehow makes him a prime target for his exceptionally chatty coworkers.

He’s discovered that it’s not hard to get someone to talk by simply not saying anything, and as a result, he knows much more about his coworkers than he would care to. It amazes him how much people take his silence as an indicator to keep going or that he’s somehow more trustworthy than the average person. It makes him wonder if this is how his friends feel about him. 

_ Do they even realize how much power I have? _ He thinks, half paying attention to Lorenzo, as he repeats something Dot in Accounting said about Kaelie that works on the fourth floor. 

Not that he would ever start spilling other people’s secrets. That’s not the kind of person he is, but it occurs to him that he could upturn the entire department if he wanted to.

“Simon, wait up!” 

Simon pushes the elevator button again, hoping it’ll magically appear, but no such luck. Jace rounds the corner, face lighting up when he sees Simon.

“Hey Jace,” Simon says to be polite, though Jace doesn’t seem to be fazed by anything he does, nice or not. 

“Are you busy right now?”

“Why?” Simon eyes him suspiciously. “What if I am?”

“That’s chill. Me and a couple of people were gonna go get drinks, and I wanted to extend the invitation to you.”

“Sorry, I, um, I can’t,” Simon says. “It was nice of you to offer.”

“It’s not a one time thing,” Jace adds. “So maybe if you’re ever not busy you could join us—”

“Jace,” Simon interjects. “I appreciate the offer but I can’t. You’re my boss and I just get paid to come in and help people who don’t know how to reset the printer. We’re not on a ‘get drinks together’ basis.” 

The elevator doors open and they move to the side to let its occupants off. 

“I’ll, uh, see you on Monday,” Simon says, stepping in and pressing the button for the ground floor. “Have a nice weekend.”

He knows he’s being a little harsh and he feels bad when he catches a glimpse of Jace’s face in the split second before the doors slide completely shut, but he doesn't know how else he’s supposed to decline. The subtle, nice approach didn’t work. To be fair, being more blunt isn’t really working either, but at least he can say he tried?

Technically he hadn’t lied when he said he was busy. 

He has plans for tonight, but he absolutely cannot tell Jace or anyone else he sees on a regular basis what they are.

A little known fact about Simon Lewis is that he writes fanfiction. Not only that, but he’s fairly popular. It’s not something he broadcasts, because the idea of anyone knowing about it makes him want to curl up in a ball and die.

He’s been writing for years — mostly things that never see the light of day — but every once in a while he strings enough words together in an order he deems worthy, and shares it with the world.

Ironically, he spends all day sitting at a desk staring at a computer, just to go home to his apartment and stare at a computer.

There are steps in between, like forging in his barren fridge for dinner, texting Clary and his mother to ensure them that, yes, he is still alive, and other boring things like that. But for the most part he dedicates much of his time to writing.

Some days he plays Super Mario or stays in bed longer, and some days he has other things that take priority, but writing is a safe space for him. It’s a moderately low stress, free hobby he can do pretty much anytime and any place. Work can be demanding, and having a creative outlet is probably what saves him from turning the office into the biggest soap opera in history.

Besides, people are counting on him to update regularly. He has an audience, eager to hear the stories that he’s just as eager to tell. 

Long story short, writing is his thing. It’s simultaneously one of the most freeing and embarrassing secrets he carries around.

The less people that are closely involved in his life the cleaner it is. It makes him nervous to think about people combing through the finer aspects of his life, putting him under a microscope, invading his personal space. He needs the walls he put up to stay where they are.

That’s why he can’t go get drinks with Jace. 

It’s a slippery slope; they get drinks and then become friends and then Jace will want to hang out in their off hours and he’ll back Simon further into a figurative corner and maybe Simon kinda sorta wants him to back him into a literal corner and—

Bottom line: Getting involved with Jace would make his life — both during and outside of work — a lot messier, and if Simon can avoid opening up that whole can of worms, that’s exactly what he’s going to do.

* * *

“Simon! Morning bud!” Jace slides in through the closing elevator doors, nearly spilling the contents of the coffee cups he’s holding in each hand.

“Uh, hey Jace.”

“How was your weekend?”

“The same as always.”

“What’d you major in?” 

“Pardon?”

“What’d you major in?” Jace repeats patiently. 

“Um. Information Technology. You know, the department we work in?”

“Huh. Cool. I was just checking to make sure you didn’t waste your money on a Communications degree because your conversational skills are abysmal.”

“Oh for f— it’s Monday morning,” Simon counters, instantly feeling exhausted from this conversation. “And believe me, if you had the same feelings towards me as I do towards you, you’d be just as much of a conversationalist.”

“Aw babe, you have feelings for me?” Jace grins at him like a Cheshire Cat.

Simon shakes his head, but the blood rushing to his face gives away enough.

“Anyways, this is for you.” Jace holds out one of the cups he’s holding. Simon glances sideways at him. “I didn’t poison it, don’t look at me like that.”

Simon takes the cup, twisting it around so he can read the order. “You got this? For me? Really?” 

“Uh yeah. Why do you look so shocked?”

_ Because I’m not nice to you _ . “Because you went out of your way to get one of my favorite drinks?”

“Don’t get too ahead of yourself,” Jace says, raising his eyebrows. “Java Jones is on my way to work. Plus I have a meeting in like ten minutes and I think it’s frowned upon to snore while Mrs. Penhallow reads off customer reports.”

Something about that mental image strikes Simon as funny, and he can’t stop himself from laughing. Jace blinks at him, surprised, and his dumbfounded expression stirs something in Simon’s chest.

The elevator reaches their floor and they step off it.

“By the way,” Jace adds with smirk before he and Simon depart, “I know your sentiments toward me can’t all be negative because if you really didn’t like me, you’d be silent the way you’re silent with damn near everyone else here.”

* * *

Simon can’t get Jace’s statement out of his head.

He thinks about it as he sips his cappuccino and opens up his emails to see what shit storm he has to deal with today.

He thinks about it when he has to walk the fifth person through how to use Dropbox. 

He thinks about it when Iris starts rambling on and on about her niece’s wedding and how the napkins should’ve been rose pink instead of baby pink and how the candied pearls on the wedding cake should’ve really been fondant flowers.

It bugs him that Jace paid attention to something like that, but the even more pathetic part of him wonders if maybe he left these hints for Jace to pick up in the first place.

Because as much he hates to admit it to himself, Jace’s right. If he truly wanted Jace to leave him alone, he wouldn’t keep responding to him.

(Deep down he’s sorta always known that.

They both have.)

* * *

The revelation that Simon likes Jace is not a new one. 

It’s been there since they first met and Jace unabashedly looked him up and down and said something vaguely flirty, and Simon’s heart fell down seven flights of stairs. It’s a faint whisper hiding beneath the surface of his skin, but present all the same.

One of his strengths — or if you’re his college boyfriend, the reason he’s impossible to date — is that he has mastered the Art of Repressing, just as much as he’s mastered his do not talk to me I don’t want to hear about your kid’s ten thousandth dance recital at eight in the morning glare. 

It’s how he’s able to sit in the break room and eat his lunch with Jace while the temptation to make out with him graduates from a pipe dream to something he could plausibly do after one too many drinks at the annual holiday party Jace hosts. 

“I have come to the realization that you have a lot in common with Garfield,” Jace announces.

“Explain.” 

“You both have a cranky attitude, eat lasagna, and hate Mondays.”

“Oh no, you know my deepest, darkest secret. I, Simon Lewis am actually, secretly the beloved cartoon cat Garfield,” Simon deadpans.

“Is he really all that beloved though?” Jace wonders aloud.

“How dare you disrespect Garfield like that.”

Jace folds his hands together under his chin, elbows resting on the table. “What’re your other deep, dark secrets? Besides, of course, being a lasagna-loving cat.”

“Why do you wanna know?”

“Why don’t you want me to know?”

“Because it’s none of your business.”

“But how are we supposed to be best friends if I don’t know anything about you?”

“Are we really having this discussion again?”

“Yes!” Jace exclaims. “You’re, like, the only person here I can stand, besides Aline.”

“Oh.” Simon swallows. “Really? But you’re friendly to everyone?”

“That’s my job. You think I go around extending invitations to hang out after work to any random guy in here? The answer is no,” Jace says, as Simon opens his mouth to respond. “I don’t even enjoy hanging out with them that much.”

“Why not?”

“They’ve got boomer energy.” 

“Uh. Alright. Why don’t you just not hang out with them then?” 

“It’s good for making connections and networking.”

Jace seems genuinely distraught and Simon decides that he’ll break his own rules and open the gates just a crack. “Do you really wanna know something about me?”

The effect is instantaneous. “Yeah man,” Jace says, eyes sparkling. “It doesn’t actually have to be a big secret though.”

“Pfft, trust me it’s not,” Simon scoffs. He tilts his head to the side. “I’ll be honest, you remind me a lot of my college boyfriend.”

“Oh, really?” Jace straightens up. “How so?”

“There’re a lot of reasons, but mostly ’cause you’ve got like, this intense charisma, and when you walk in a room you command attention without saying anything. In a good way.”

Jace’s mouth hangs open. “Wow, I don’t think you’ve ever said anything that nice to me. Ever.”

“Yeah well.” Simon stabs at his lasagna, the tips of his ears reddening. “Don’t get used to it. This was an exception.”

“Is this because I got you coffee?”

“If I say yes, will you buy me more coffee?”

“You sneaky little bastard.” Jace grins and Simon finds himself grinning back. “I might.” 

“Then yes.”

Jace shakes his head. “You’re the worst.”

“And yet you insist on pestering me.”

“I can’t pester anyone else. None of them are pale nerds, so calling them ‘Nerferatu’ wouldn’t make sense.”

Simon smacks his forehead. “Oh of course. Why didn’t I think of that sooner? Everything makes perfect sense now.” 

A knock on the wall steals their attention. Aline, one of the department’s interns who’s young and sweet and actually pretty cool, stands in the doorway.

“Sorry to interrupt,” she says. “Mr. Herondale, there’s someone on hold waiting to talk to you.”

“Thank you, I’ll be right there.” Jace stands. “Terribly sorry to cut our date short—”

“It’s not a date,” Simon interjects. 

“—but alas, duty calls. I’ll see you later, my sweet Nerdferatu. I’ll be thinking of you every moment we’re apart.”

“Please don’t listen to him,” Simon says.

Aline looks thoroughly entertained and not at all convinced as Jace passes her on his way out. 

“You don’t need to worry Simon,” she says. “The office already knows.”

That statement is the heart of Simon’s nightmares, but not in this context. “Knows what?”

“Exactly.” She winks and leaves.

Simon listens to her heels click all the way down the hall.

* * *

It happens on a Monday, because Simon doesn’t hate Mondays enough already.

“Hey Si, may I speak to you in my office for a sec?”

“Uh, sure.” Simon gets up, following Jace into his office. His mind runs through all the possible things he could be in trouble for. 

Was it because he’d accidentally dozed off during one of Maia’s exhaustive recounts of each of her dogs’ daily activities? Or because he didn’t want to lend Meliorn his stapler because he’s already broken two of them? 

He tries to not appear panicked when Jace closes the door behind him. 

“Please, take a seat,” Jace says, gesturing to the chairs on the side of his desk closer to the door.

Simon drops into a chair like the gravity in the room has doubled. He’s unsure of what to do with his hands. He grips the arms of the chair before thinking it makes him seem too tense, and places his hands in his lap.

“Am I.” He clears his throat. “Am I in trouble, sir?”

“Oh,” Jace says, like the idea hadn’t occurred to him. “No?”

“Thank God,” Simon whispers under his breath. “So, uh… what’s going on?”

Jace leans back in his chair. “I…” 

His expression is what Simon would call embarrassed, and that worries him more than anything, because in all the years he’s worked for Jace, shame has never been used to describe him.

“This might be a really weird question, but do you write fanfiction?”

There is not a word strong enough to describe the fear that ices over Simon. He’s pretty sure the blood in his veins freezes and his whole body goes into cardiac arrest. 

To his credit, he does not cry or disintegrate or combust or any of the million things he would rather do other than stare at Jace like a deer in headlights. 

A small infinity passes in the span of a few seconds, before the reality of the situation sinks in. 

“Oh God,” Simon mutters, standing up. “I’m gonna be sick.”

“Simon wait—”

Simon stumbles out of Jace’s office and beelines to the bathroom, locking himself in a stall.

_ What the fuck do I do now?  _

He can’t quit. He’s got no backup plan and he has rent to pay. 

_ What if Jace fires me? Oh God, I don’t even write anything inappropriate but what if there are company guidelines against it? Wait, if Jace knows about it then who else knows? Is that what Aline was talking about? _

He snaps out of his thoughts when the bathroom door opens and he hears Jace call out, “Simon?” 

His voice echoes in the otherwise empty bathroom. Simon sees his shiny shoes walk over and stop in front of the stall he’s in.

“Si? Are you okay?” 

“Please don’t fire me,” Simon blurts out.

“What? What are you talking about?” Jace sighs. “Can you come out and we can talk about this?” 

Simon doesn’t know if he can ever look Jace in the eye again. But, he knows he can’t stay in here forever. 

He reluctantly unlocks the door and lets it swing open. 

At least Jace doesn’t look upset? Maybe he’ll just get a slap on the wrist and everything will be fine. Except he can never come back to this office or be in contact with any of these people ever again because the power of his discomfort will be enough to set the office on fire.

“Um. Hi.”

“Dude the speed at which you bolted was friggin’ impressive.”

Simon’s face burns. “I—” He rubs the back of his neck and stares at the tiled floor. “Am I in trouble?”

“I already told you no.” Jace has the decency to look guilty. “I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable.”

“That’s an understatement,” Simon snorts without thinking.

“If it’s any consolation, I think you’re a really good writer?”

“Oh God,” Simon groans. “Please, this can’t be happening. I’m mortified.”

“Wait, is this why you’re busy whenever I ask you to go out with me? It’s because you’re writing?” 

“I... yeah.” Simon can’t resist asking, “How long have you known?”

“I swear I didn’t figure it out until I read your author’s notes on your most recent chapter of ‘Mated Souls’.  _ ‘I didn’t think there were that many people out there that get called ‘Nerdferatu’ and compared to Garfield by their boss’ _ .”

Simon buries his face in his hands. “I’m gonna die. Dead. Ceased to exist. I really am gonna die of embarrassment. I always thought that was an exaggeration, but I understand now.”

“No, please don’t feel bad about it,” Jace says hurriedly. “I’ve been reading your work for a long time, and you’re one of my favorite writers.”

“Okay hang on.” Simon holds his hands up. “We’re gonna have to lay out some ground rules right now.”

Jace shuts up immediately.

“First and foremost, you cannot tell anybody about this. I mean it. You haven’t already, have you?”

Jace shakes his head. “I don’t think anyone else knows. You don’t talk about yourself ever.”

That is mildly comforting to Simon. “Second, you are not allowed to talk about this during work hours.”

Jace frowns, but he says, “Fine. Can I text you about it?”

Simon crosses his arms. “I guess, if it keeps you from saying it out loud.”

“Wait a minute.” Jace’s mouth curls up and Simon has a feeling that whatever he’s thinking is not gonna be good. “You said work hours. Does that mean I can talk about it to you... outside of work hours?”

Simon sighs. “What do you want Jace?”

“To hang out with you outside of work.”

“Are you trying to get me to go on a date with you?”

“Depends…” Jace blinks innocently at him. “If you want it to be a date, it can be.”

Simon never thought he’d say he’d miss the flirting, but this is familiar territory. Jace has toed this line many times, searching for any openings or breaks.

“Ugh,” Simon groans. “You never stop, do you?”

“Is that a yes?”

“That’s an ‘I’ll think about it’. And,” Simon adds before Jace can get too enthusiastic, “we’d be hanging out as friends.”

Jace clutches his imaginary pearls and gasps. “Simon, you think we’re friends?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Not really.” Jace smirks. “Wow, what an exciting day. I couldn’t have predicted this would happen in a million years.”

_ Neither could I. _

“I, uh, have to get back to work,” Simon says, realizing they’ve been in the bathroom longer than they should be allowed. 

He goes to exit the bathroom, when Jace grabs his arm. He looks over his shoulder, eyebrows raised. 

“Chill,” Jace says. “Just trust me, okay?”

* * *

Although Simon wants a giant chasm to open up and swallow him whole, he is not that fortunate.

The knowledge that Jace, his goddamn boss of all people, is aware of his hobby makes clocking into work exceedingly more difficult, but it’s not like he can pack up and move to Antarctica where he’d never have to worry about seeing any of these people ever again. 

True to his word, Jace keeps his mouth shut and Simon doesn’t overhear any gossip relating to him or his personal life, however Jace has latched onto the ability to text him and Simon do so at any given moment of the day.

Strangely enough, their relationship doesn’t change all that much. The overall vibe of their interactions remain the same, and Simon doesn’t know whether to be thankful or concerned about it.

**Jace:** hey si 

**Simon:** It’s been less than a minute since I sat down

**Jace:** please this is important

Simon rolls his eyes and sets his phone down next to his mouse. He’s in the middle of skimming the memo Operations sent out, when he hears a dull thump.

He spins around to see Jace peering out at him through one of his office windows. Jace holds up his phone and points to it, then to Simon.

Simon glances down at his phone to see a new text from him.

**Jace:** Si! please finish the office au you started last month!!! i will seriously die if you don’t

Simon glares at Jace, mouthing ‘are you fucking kidding me’ before typing back:

**Simon:** If you don’t stop bugging me I’m putting in my two weeks’ notice

**Jace:** but Simon 

**Jace:** you’ll never have another boss as hot as me 

Simon tosses his phone onto his desk, folds his arms over each other, and lets his head drop onto them.

* * *

Aline approaches him while he’s at the printer.

“Just so you know, it’s gonna be a minute,” Simon says, watching the printer spit out sheet after sheet of a ridiculously long file he was instructed to print. 

“That’s alright. I’ve got time,” she says. “I’d rather be here than on another coffee run.”

“Hey, uh, Aline,” Simon starts, already feeling the familiar prickle of embarrassment creeping up his neck. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Are my feelings for Jace super obvious?”

“Oh, um.” She blinks at him curiously. “I guess. Why do you ask?”

“I’m just wondering if I need to be more discreet.”

She snorts. “I think everyone knows about you two.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like, everyone already knows about your relationship with Jace.” 

Simon chokes on air. “Run that by me again?”

“You and Jace,” she repeats. “Magnus has got a betting pool on whether you’re really married and you just don’t wear your rings to avoid the gossip.” 

“Uh.”

“Oh my God,” Aline says. Simon tears his gaze away to see her staring at him, slack-jawed and wide-eyed. “You’re not married, are you?”

Simon shakes his head.

“You’re not together... at all?” 

Simon winces. “N-no.”

“Shit, I’m so sorry. That was so inappropriate of me, I—”

“It’s okay.” He picks up the pile of papers, flipping through the first couple. “Is this yours?”

“Yes, thanks.” She takes her pages. 

“Is... Jace aware of this?”

Aline shakes her head. “I— Honestly I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable—”

“No, no it’s not a big deal.” Simon straightens out his stack. “It’s just like a few people, right?”

Aline grins apologetically. “The whole department is in on it. We’re split pretty evenly.” She tugs at one of her earrings. “I can tell everyone to call it off.”

“Wait.” Simon clears his throat. Jace already knows about the one thing Simon desperately did not want anyone to find out, so what the hell does he have to lose? “Maybe— maybe you don’t need to.”

* * *

“Hey Jace?” Simon says, rapping lightly on his door. 

Jace looks up, his face relaxing when he sees Simon. “Hey Si, what’s up?”

“I was wondering if, um, you wanted to go get drinks with me?”

Jace drops his pen. “It’s Friday.”

“Yeah? Why would I drink on a work night?” Simon scoffs. 

“But you’re always busy on Fridays. Scratch that, you’re just always busy.”

“Yeah well.” Simon drops his gaze to the carpet, face warming rapidly. “I think I’ve got some time.”

* * *

Jace, ever the perfect gentleman, walks Simon back to his apartment complex, insisting that it’s the proper thing to do given the lateness of the hour. They linger in the lobby, Simon fidgeting with his keys, as they draw out a conversation that neither of them wants to end.

Simon’s dying to know if Jace can feel the weight of all the things he wants to say in the air. 

“I had a nice time tonight,” Jace says, and Simon’s heart stutters. “I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on the experience of being your friend all this time.”

“Right. About that.” Simon bites his lip. 

Maybe it’s the alcohol that has him flushed and a little bold, or maybe it’s just that he wants this and he’s long overdue to say it. 

“Um. Jace.” Jace raises an eyebrow. “I like you. A lot. And maybe… I don’t want us to hang out as... as friends.”

“Mr. Lewis, are you telling me this was a date?”

“That depends…” Simon smiles coyly. “Did you want it to be a date?”

Jace laughs and it reverberates around the lobby. 

“Do you, um.” Simon gestures to the elevator. “Do you wanna come upstairs?”

They stand shoulder to shoulder, silent as the elevator creaks and groans. Simon sneaks glances at Jace, sensing a change in the air around them. Jace’s eyes wander sideways, and when he catches Simon looking at him, his mouth curls up into his signature smirk.

He reaches for Simon’s hand, threading his fingers through Simon’s. 

Simon always thought if he was ever going to let Jace in, it’d feel like something destructive, the demolition of walls in a violent explosion of stone and debris.

Instead, it feels like removing armor you don’t need anymore because the threat is gone.

And when Jace backs him into his bed, eyeing him in a way that takes his breath away, he wonders why it took him so long to get here.

* * *

“Did you know the office has a betting pool about us?” Simon murmurs, after.

“No way. Like, about if we’re dating?”

“Worse. Whether or not we’re married.”

Jace snickers, kissing Simon’s shoulder. “Should we break the news to them?”

Simon shakes his head. “Nah. I have a better idea.”

* * *

When the time comes, they invite everyone in the office to their wedding.

The day after they send out the invites, the office erupts into chaos.

  
  



End file.
